I'm running into a problem with my new duties at work. I used to be able to take a 15 minute break or so to properly eat a healthy snack. That, and I had an office where I worked alone so I felt more comfortable eating something elaborate. Now I'm crammed into a cubicle with 8 people, and there's not a lot of room or privacy. What's a good snack I can grab and eat? Preferably shelf stable and portable enough to stay in my desk due to my lack of time and being in a public place. I have a company kitchen, but I rarely have time to get anything except when I walk in, or when I head to lunch.

With my very public location, combined with my lack of time...most of those options are out.I'm left with:Pringles, some grapes I bring to my deskBeef jerky (small bags only)snack pack version of chips?Jar of pretzels? (to maintain freshness)Goldfish?Tea

In the maybe column, something very calorie dense but I can leave my desk to eat fast.Reheated cheeseburgers (30s in microwave, 30 secs to scarf down, chase with tea at my desk)

My coworkers either smoke, eat canned fruit, or grab something from the vending machines. I'm not against these things, but I rather be more economical with my time and money. Any suggestions? Maybe some nuts?Edit: No sweets please.

I've been making mini-wraps with filling that can sit in my backpack for a few hours. Put stuff on a 6" whole wheat tortilla, roll up and pack. I put plastic around mine but you can jam a few into a sandwich container with toothpicks to hold them closed. Take out of the fridge in the morning and bung into the backpack/cargo pocket.

Note that these don't hold much filling. You can get the larger tortillas if you want more than a snack. If the problem is that you can't sit there and take several bites of a thing, you can try cutting the rolls into slices. Pretend it's an appetizer.

Also in my backpack: granola and/or protein bars, nuts and dried fruit, and sometimes a single-serving size yogurt. (Usually much better to buy plain and mix your own fruit in.)

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.- Albert Schweitzer, philosopher, physician, musician, Nobel laureate (14 Jan 1875-1965)

Humous can be sandwich spread as well as a dip. That's mostly how I use it.

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.- Albert Schweitzer, philosopher, physician, musician, Nobel laureate (14 Jan 1875-1965)

Hummus is not exactly intended as shelf stable, but I find it to basically work okay if it hangs out for a few hours. It's vegan, so there's not a lot of stuff that goes off very quickly in it.

In addition to some of the other suggestions here that are my faves (particularly fresh fruit of whatever stripe), I would add dried fruit as something you can have around almost perpetually without issues (and there are awesome, delicious options like mango... if you can get them without too much sugar, anyhow). Also reasonable would be something like peanut butter and crackers, I sometimes keep oatmeal around as something reconstitutable using water and a microwave, or just hot water our office has for people who drink tea.

He does not spout ever more, new stupidities. He "diversifies his wrongness portfolio."(My pronouns are She/Her/Hers)

You can also make your own protein/meal bars. At one point I made up a batch of Thai-spiced turkey based ones for a friend who likes the portability but had gotten tired of the all sweet all the time options. If you're working in the US you are allowed a 15 minute break every four hours, on the clock. It's federal labor law, and covers all jobs. So if you need time for a snack, you take it, and talk to your boss about the law if they complain.

Don’t become a well-rounded person. Well rounded people are smooth and dull. Become a thoroughly spiky person. Grow spikes from every angle. Stick in their throats like a puffer fish.

I don't know why people get so worried about eating the yellows of eggs and such. One whole egg is a mere 78 calories.A two or three egg omelet is a perfectly reasonable meal if you don't add an absurd amount of cheese or fatty meat, and do add a healthy serving of vegetables.

"She’s a free spirit, a wind-rider, she’s at one with nature, and walks with the kodama eidolons”

Pop tarts (since they're in packs of two, eat one in the morning and one in the afternoon)

Bag of craisins

Box of un/lightly seasoned small crackers (lightly seasoned so that I don't get shit on my fingers and then my keyboard, the crunching might be annoying to your co-workers if you're in real close proximity though)

Jack Links Nuggets (I like the nuggets because they're easier to chew and you can eat them in two or three small bites instead of chewing on a big piece of jerky for 20 minutes)

Also, PastryChef is right about the 15 minute break. If your boss isn't allowing you to take 10 or 15 minutes to go eat something (or really anything else you want, within reason) in the kitchenette, you have a right to complain and get lawyers involved. Although I might not jump straight to lawyers.

"There's spray paint on the teleprompterAnchorman screams that he's seen a monster (mayday)There's blood stains on his shirt (mayday)They say that he's gone berserk."--Flobots "Mayday"